The first step in your journey to implement the Essentials and begin the transition to CBE is to familiarize yourself with these new concepts. So, what are the Essentials?

The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Practice outline a new vision for nursing education, with clearly delineated competency expectations for today's entry-level and advanced nurse. Approved in a 2021 vote by AACN member schools, the Essentials define competency for graduates of baccalaureate, master's, and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs and are designed to ensure consistency among program graduates. The Essentials utilize competency-based education, or CBE, to promote equity by reaching diverse learners. CBE is not a checklist of skills, but an approach that allows students to practice, reflect, and demonstrate specific knowledge, attitudes, and skills.

To get started, AACN recommends reading the 2021 Essentials and the resources on CBE, as well as the resources identified in the sidebar to the right. Developing a clear understanding of the domains, concepts, competencies, and sub-competencies is key to navigating this transition.

The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Practice

Competency-Based Education

Domains and Concepts

After gaining a foundational understanding of the Essentials and CBE, the next step is to explore AACN's guides, including the Guiding Principles for Competency-Based Education and Assessment and the Essentials Competency Assessment Framework. These resources offer practical tools and advice to help you develop strategies for assessing student progress. Additionally, several talking points documents are available to help you communicate effectively with key contacts at your college or university, including:

• Practice Partners: What they can expect from new nurse graduates.
• Development Officers: How their work can support the new needs of programs utilizing CBE.
• Higher Education Leaders: How CBE will impact their institution's learning evironment and how their leadership impacts outcomes.
• Prospective Nursing Students: What they can expect from a nursing program that utilizes CBE.

All Guides and Talking Points

Guiding Principles for Competency-Based Education and Assessment

Essentials Competency Assessment Framework

Guide to Curricular Transition for Competency-Based Education

After reviewing these documents, you're ready to begin strategizing ways to approach implementation. Faculty development will be important during this step, and AACN offers several programs to support you:

• CBE Workshops: These regional workshops provide hands-on training in CBE and the Essentials from AACN's Curricular Coaches.
• Essentials Webinar Series: Covering a variety of topics related to CBE, these free webinars are available to watch on-demand.
• Essentials Coaching Program: This program delivers hands-on guidance in CBE and the Essentials that is tailored to meet your school's specific needs.

AACN also offers an online Essentials Tool Kit, featuring an updated Frequently Asked Questions document and the Teaching Resource Database, which includes more than 100 peer-reviewed faculty resources. Explore the Tool Kit to the right to discover tools and insights that can help you navigate the implementation process effectively.

Competency-Based Education Workshops

Essentials Webinars

Essentials Coaching Program

Essentials Tool Kit

Essentials FAQs

Teaching Resource Database

Once you and your faculty are better informed about CBE and the Essentials, it's time to collaborate with key constituents within your institution and the broader nursing education community. Engaging with peers and practice partners can reveal helpful insights that can guide your Essentials journey.

Here are some ways to foster collaboration and engagement:

• Join the Essentials Discussion Corner: Participate in an online forum to exchange questions and implementation strategies with faculty from other AACN member institutions.
• Explore the Essentials Video Gallery: Watch stories from other schools to learn about their progress and journey.
• Designate an Essentials Champion: Work with your dean to designate a Champion at your school. This growing network of Champions maintains a direct line of communication with AACN, meets quarterly to share questions, and receives early access to new resources and opportunities.

Essentials Discussion Corner

Essentials Video Gallery

Designate a Champion